The Christmas Present
by falafel90
Summary: James struggles to find Lily a Christmas present. What does he end up getting her? JP/LE one-shot.


**The Christmas Present**

"There's only four days left and I still haven't gotten anything for Lily!" James sighed as he entered the Gryffindor common room. "What am I going to do, Padfoot?" He and Sirius sat down on the large chairs next to the crackling fire.

"James, you're not even dating the girl! Why do you have to get her anything?" Sirius exclaimed, looking somewhat puzzled.

"Because, if I can get her the perfect gift, then maybe, just maybe, she will finally fall deeply and madly in love with me," James replied smugly.

"Well, you can always get her what I get all my girls around Christmas time—a nice snog session!"

"That's not going to work, Padfoot—I tried that last year, you know that. And I am serious here…."

"No, I'm Sirius!"

"Okay, that joke got old first year…now think of something I can give her!"

The two sat quietly for a good two minutes with constipated looks on their faces when Remus and Peter shuffled into the common room.

"Umm…if you need a bathroom, there's one upstairs, you know," Remus teased.

"Ha ha, very funny. What should I get Lily for Christmas, Moony? You're friends with her! Give me some insight!"

"Well, she likes to read, doesn't she? Buy her an interesting novel. Maybe on that you've read so that you'll have something to talk about. Though the selection of books would be somewhat limited…" Remus responded as he took a seat. Peter followed his lead and sat in a comfy armchair next to him.

"But that's not romantic! I need a gift that'll show her that I love her, care for, know her…"

"Stalk her?" Sirius interrupted. Remus and Peter chuckled while James glared at Sirius.

"No. And I don't stalk her, for your information," James said, faking snootiness.

"What's the color of her toothbrush?" Remus asked.

"Oran…I mean, I have absolutely no idea. Why would I know that? It's not like I've ever snuck into the Prefect's bathroom while she was getting ready for bed or anything…." The other three marauders laughed as the portrait swung open to reveal Lily Evans with her best friend, Marlene McKinnon.

"Hey Remus!" Lily said cheerily, though her good mood dropped when she saw James and Sirius. "Black, Potter," she said curtly.

"So," Marlene started. "Are you boys staying for the holiday?" She sat down with the Marauders, and Lily followed, though not before kicking Marlene in the back of her leg.

"Yeah, we figured, you know, since this is our final Christmas at Hogwarts, we should enjoy it. I mean, unless we become professors, we're not likely to see the castle like this again. And, well, who in their right mind would hire any of us as professors?" James answered. Marlene chortled while Lily rolled her eyes and moved her hands across her chest.

"Are you guys staying here?" Sirius asked.

"Unfortunately yes," Lily sighed. "My sister and her cow of a husband have invited my parents over for their first Christmas together, and not me. Like I'd want to go there anyway…." Lily turned her head away, lying through her teeth.

"Well, now you get to spend Christmas with us, Lilykins…isn't that great?" James grinned like a little kid who'd just gotten a large ice cream cone.

"Absolutely wonderful," Lily said dryly.

"Well, I'm going to Aspen with my parents," Marlene said. "And since I'll be gone, Lily can spend the entire break with you guys!" Lily kicked the back of her leg again. "Okay…getting old there Lily," Marlene whispered.

"Well, I for one am thoroughly excited," Sirius said. "We can polish our fingernails and stay up late swapping stories about our 'accidental' run-ins with our crushes…though you know, Lily, I was probably there when you had your accidental run-ins with James over here…." Sirius said. Lily rolled her eyes again.

"I'm dating Amos."

"That doesn't mean you don't like James, Lily. For all we know, it could just be a decoy. So we don't find out your true and arduous feelings for my best friend." Sirius shook his head in a knowing manner.

"My relationship with James is arduous, Sirius, I don't have to hide that," Lily said with a smirk on her face. She looked at Marlene and giggled.

"AHA!" Sirius jumped on the couch, shaking his hips and pointing at her. Remus sighed and put his hand on his temples.

"I think you meant 'ardent,' Padfoot, which means passionate. 'Arduous' means tiring and difficult, which, as you know, does refer to Lily and James' relationship as we know it to be."

"I don't think so Remus…she just professed her love for James. And if I am correct, announced her secret relationship with him!" James interrupted.

"Moony's right Padfoot. And don't you think I would have told you if I was in a relationship with Lily?"

"No," Sirius scoffed. "That's why I said it was a 'secret relationship'… duh! And besides, you've been trying to find a pr…." James slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Ummm…what Sirius means is that I've been trying to find a…uhhh…pair of socks that I'd…uhhh…think you'd enjoy seeing on me this lovely afternoon. And…uh…I have yet to find a pair that…uhhh…you'd enjoy…uhhh…."

"Looking at?" Lily interrupted doubtfully.

"Yeah," James said meekly.

"Riiigghhtt," Sirius said. "I told him that you'd like the ones with your face on them, but he said that you'd think it was stalkerish. Do you? Find it stalkerish I mean?"

"I don't have socks with your face on them…I swear," James said desperately.

"No," Remus mumbled to himself, "but you do have a pair of boxers like that…."

Lily looked in disbelief at the four Marauders, though Marlene just chuckled.

"Ummm…well…we have to go to…uhhh…find a pair of socks that you'd like to…uhhh…." James stumbled.

"Look at?" Lily supplied again.

"Yeah, right, so I'll…uhhh…see you later?" James said as he and the other marauders got up from their chairs by the fire.

"Not if I can help it." Lily glared.

"Well…see you…or not see you…." James said weakly.

"Have fun with your…sock hunt," Marlene said. Then she whispered to James, "I personally think she'd like some with little Christmas trees on them…you know, 'cause of the holiday and such."

"I heard that!" Lily yelled from across the room.

"Well, then, pretend you didn't!" Marlene shouted back. "Have fun getting Lily a Christmas present," Marlene muttered, making sure Lily couldn't hear.

"Wait…how do you…."

"I'm not an idiot."

"Does Lily…."

"I doubt it…she's somewhat oblivious to your attempts at spawning a wonderfully true and meaningful relationship because, well, she doesn't want to believe you."

"Why?"

"Because, she can't hate you if she knows you love her."

"Why?"

"What is this, twenty questions? Go! Your friends are waiting for you. Sirius looks like he's going to wet his pants over there."

"Bye!" James said to Marlene as he made his way over to the portrait hole and she made her way back to where Lily was sitting.

"Now," James whispered to his friends as they made their way outside the common room, "what can I get Lily for Christmas that she'll absolutely love?"

"Not this again…" Remus mumbled as James rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

________________________________________________________________________

"Sure, Chocolate Frogs need some seriously powerful magic to enchant, but are they really the best type of sweet?"

Lily was only half listening to Amos babble on about different sweets from Hogsmeade. Amos was walking Lily to potions, and, while he couldn't seem to shut up, she was awfully quiet. The conversation with the Marauders yesterday made her wonder: did she really like Amos?

Not that she liked James of course. She didn't…not in the slightest bit. But she wasn't so sure she liked Amos that much either.

"…Lily?"

"Huh?"

"I asked you a question." When she didn't respond, he asked again. "What's your favorite sweet?"

"I dunno…I guess I'm partial to the fudge at Honeydukes."

"Their fudge is quite something, isn't it?"

"Sure."

"Well, here's Slughorn's room." After giving her a peck on the cheek, Amos added, "Will I see you later?"

"Sure."

As Amos walked away, Lily shuffled into the classroom, still a bit dazed and clearly thinking about something. She sat down in what she thought was her usual seat, only to realize a minute later…

"Hi, Lilykins! I am honored that you chose to sit next to me, I'll have you know! Now, what shall we do about Snivellus staring at us sitting together?" James said ecstatically.

"Oh, fudge." Lily whispered, realizing the irony seconds later. She turned around to see Severus staring, and she just glared back. Ever since that incident when he…well, the incident where he called her a foul name, things had just never been the same.

"Hello, hello, hello!" Slughorn bellowed, walking into the classroom. "Last day of classes before the holiday! Ho, ho!" He chuckled.

Lily finally snapped out of her daze, though only to focus on the lesson. "Professor, I bought you the crystallized pineapple you love so much."

"Well, well, my favorite student! Always so thoughtful! Thank-you, my child, for the lovely gift." He smiled wholeheartedly. "Now for today's lesson…."

Trying to pay attention was unsurprisingly difficult sitting next to James Potter. Throughout the lesson on the Polyjuice Potion, James was starting to wear on her last nerve.

"Hey Lily!" James whispered. She glanced at him amidst her note taking only to have a paper ball thrown at her. Inside was a note:

_Dearest Lily,_

_Wouldst thee go on a date with me Christmas Eve? It wouldst pleaseth me too an insurmountable extent. Surely thou art much obliged?_

_Love with all of my heart,_

_James_

Lily, used to these types of messages, threw it back at him with a simple answer:

**No, you great git. I have a BOYFRIEND!!!!!**

In her head, however, she wasn't so sure she wanted said boyfriend.

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Christmas came rather quickly for James, which he wasn't too happy about. He wasn't so sure if his gift for Lily would be perfect, or even if she'd like it. Even still, James had hope that this would be a Christmas to remember. It was Christmas Eve night and he suddenly had a craving for pork chops and apple sauce.

"Hey, Padfoot, I'm going to go down to the kitchens, 'kay?"

"It's midnight. Do you think I give a rat's arse what you do, Prongs?"

James grabbed his invisibility cloak and headed off. Walking down and into the common room, James saw Lily on the couch, talking to…well, what appeared to be herself.

"I really do like you, but well, I'm not sure…."

'What's that about?' James thought to himself, and pondered that on the way to the kitchens. 'Could she be breaking it off…? Nah…" he thought. 'She really seems to like that boring, spineless weirdo.'

Coming back into the common room, he saw no trace of her. 'She must've gone back to her dormitory.'

________________________________________________________________________

"Wake-up Prongs, Moony, Wormtail! PRESENTS! I want to open that broom-stick servicing kit that you got me, Prongs! Come ON already!" Sirius was jumping atop his bed, yelling at the top of his lungs. "I'm going to be dead by the time you guys wake-up!"

"Padfoot, how did you know James got you a broomstick servicing kit?" Remus asked Sirius with one eye open, his head resting on his pillow still.

"Yeah!" James asked, glaring at Sirius, his hair tousled from sleep.

"Ummm…I mean, I just…uhhh…_think_ you got it for me, that's all. How could I possibly know what you got me?"

"Because you looked in my secret hiding spot?"

"Well, if you call your trunk a secret hiding spot, your out of luck, Prongs."

James sighed. "Well, Padfoot, buddy, I guess that's what friends are for."

Peter was puzzled. "Friends are supposed to look through each others' trunks for their Christmas presents?"

"Wormtail," Sirius said, I think I speak for all of us when I say, SHUT UP!" At that, everyone threw their pillows at Peter.

After opening all of his presents, which included a book entitled _How to Stay In Trouble: A Guide for the Avid Mischief Maker_ from Remus, sweets from Peter, and a load of Zonko's products from Sirius, James and the rest of the Marauders went down to breakfast in the Great Hall. On the way there, they spotted an argument between Lily and Amos.

"It's that damn Potter, isn't it?" Amos yelled, waving his arms up in the air and then crossing them.

"It has NOTHING to do with Potter; I'm just not in LOVE with you, okay!" Lily yelled back.

"Don't lie to me; everyone can see it! I don't know why YOU can't…. At first, I thought, 'Well, okay, maybe she can like me enough to get over him,' but it's clear that you HAVEN'T! I don't even know why I wasted my time if you were just using me!"

"I WASN'T using you!"

"You still haven't denied liking Potter."

"I don't have to defend anything I do to you." And with that, Lily walked away, not crying, not shedding a tear. She passed straight by the Marauders, without even a glance, though her face did turn pink, and clearly, she was embarrassed.

"Do you think…?" James asked, his face scrunched up in thought. "Do you think…?" He started again, but couldn't finish his thought. "Maybe…?"

Padfoot guffawed. "You might just have a chance with her, buddy!" He slapped James on the back, though, James, oblivious to the world, fell to the floor, and just sat there.

"You think?" He started again. He finally spit it out, "Could she possibly…like me?" He sat there staring at the portrait of a man wearing a green robe and a large furry hat for the next 37 minutes.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________________________________________________________________________

"Now, Lily, I spent a lot of time thinking about what to get you, and I really tried to make it perfect. It might be a little off kilter or a little odd, but it seemed like you and the type of person you are: genuine, strong, fiery, and kind. I hope you enjoy it." James paused. "How was that guys?" James was practicing his speech for Lily in front of the guys in his dormitory, hoping to get some feedback.

"Well," Remus started, "don't point out that it's a bit strange. You're pointing out its flaws when she might not even see them." Remus stopped his critique for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "Prongs, what _did_ you get her?"

"Yeah," Sirius said. "Why won't you tell us what it is?"

"Because…I feel it's a bit personal. And, to be completely honest, a bit on the embarrassing side."

"If it's that embarrassing," Peter wondered aloud, "How are you going to give it to Lily?"

"Ummm…well, I dunno. I guess I'll just…give it to her… and pray she likes it." James said, feeling a bit uneasy. He ran his hands through his hair, and sighed. "And, if she doesn't like it, well, I can always jump off the astronomy tower afterwards."

________________________________________________________________________

James paced back and forth. Lily was going to enter the common room at any moment, coming back from the Christmas feast in the Great Hall at any moment, and he was hoping to drag her off to the astronomy tower to give her his present. Suddenly, the portrait hole burst open. Jumping up, he smiled at the doorway, only to find the marauders looking back at him, as though he had gone crazy.

"Hey, guys."

"Still waiting for Lily then, Prongs?" Sirius asked.

"Yup." With that, James sat on the couch with an oddly wrapped gift in his hand.

"You know, Prongs, I think I saw her walking up the stairs behind me, so she can't be too much…."

And there she was, entering through the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"HEY LILY!" James yelled, jumping up excitedly from the couch. "Hey!"

Lily turned around, only to roll her eyes and call back, "What, Potter?"

"Come with me…I have a Christmas present I want to give you!"

Lily sighed, and, having nothing better to do, followed James out of the common room.

Walking to the astronomy tower the silence was deafening.

"James…I'm sorry…I didn't get you anything."

"It's alright, I don't mind. And after opening my gift, you'll probably be happy you didn't get me anything." James inwardly cringed; he did what Moony told him _not_ to do.

"I'm sure it's lovely, whatever it is." Now it was Lily's turn to cringe. Why was she giving him false hope?

Soon they reached the astronomy tower, and, as Lily sat down on the grey stone bench, James, pulling out the awkwardly wrapped gift sighed, looked up at Lily, and smiled.

"I am sorry, Lily, for all the trouble I've caused you over the years, all the trouble I've caused Sniv—Snape over the years, and, I know, I am partially the reason that your friendship is over—"

"Don't say that, James, it probably would have happened anyway," Lily interrupted, touching his arm.

"Well, even so, I'm sorry." James swallowed. "And, I just wanted to give you a gift to show you how I feel about you…because I love you, Lily, even though you don't love me back." James gave her the gift, and turned away, though not before he caught sight of Lily smiling warmly at him. She opened the gift, and, once it was unwrapped, looked at him, confused.

"Our weird and 'arduous' relationship reminds you of a…a…a bezoar? As in, the bezoar that cures someone who's poisoned? Surely, James, it's useful, and, if, you know, you know somebody who's planning to, you know, _kill_ me, then, by all-means…uhhh…thanks? But, I mean, don't blame me if I'm somewhat confused." Lily held the thing in her hands, looking at it as she rambled on and on. James smiled at how bewildered she was.

"Well, I guess it more reminds me of you than anything else. Like you said, it heals the poisoned. Well, as you know, I was, well, how I should put this? A _troublemaker_, if you will, and, well, if you think of my pranks and such as a sort of poison to my soul, well, maybe you haven't _cured_ it completely, but you have definitely calmed it. Indirectly, at least." James babbled, similarly to the way Lily did before, but she managed to put a stop to it by putting a finger to his lips.

"Thank you. I love it. It's the best thing anyone's ever given to me." And with that, she hugged him, smiled once more, though this time with watery eyes, and started to walk back to the common room. After only a few steps, though, Lily turned back around and said, "Oh, by the way, I love your socks." Then she turned around and continued walking.

James laughed and looked down. After growing an inch this year, his socks were visible to the naked eye. They were filled with little Christmas trees. James turned to the large opening in the tower looking out to the Forbidden Forrest and yelled into the darkness, "I'M GOING TO MARRY THAT WOMAN!" After that, he cha-cha'd back to the common room, utterly happy with himself. Little did he know that, a year later, he would marry that woman, and, on the mantle of the fireplace in their brand new house would sit the bezoar that he gave to her as a sign of his affection.


End file.
